Regulator



June 24, 1930. B. M. LEECE 1,767,180

REGULATOR Filed Feb. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24, 1930.

B. M. LEECE REGULATOR Filed Feb. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwvwntoowwmszlz-w 315. W

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BENNETT M. LEECE, OICLEVELAND, OHIO, ABSIGNOR TO THE LEEGENEVILLE COMPANY, 01' CLEVELAND,OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO REGULATOR Application filed February so,1928. Serial in. 255,585.

.6. ferent conditions of speed and load, such,

. mined amount.

for example, as lighting and battery charging generators of automobilesand other en- 'ne driven vehicles. More particularly, the mventionrelates to a combined voltage and current .regulator and in certain ofits ,aspects is an improvement over Patent No. 1,374,856, dated April12, 1921, and granted in the names of H. C. Branch and myself.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a regulatorwhich regulates the output of the machine both for voltage and current,maintaining the voltage substan tially constant under widely differentconditions of speed and load, and which controls the current out ut sothat the generator will have a desire le current characteristic, thepresent regulator in so far as the current re ulation is concernedbecoming efi'ective w en the load reaches a predeter- In this respect,the regulator is an improvement over that which constitutes the subjectmatter of the patent referred to. I

In the accompanying sheets of drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of aregulator em bodying my invention, the same being in this instancecombined with the usual reverse current cut-out; Fig. 2 is a side view'of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view substantially along the line3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modificationwhich for reasons to be explained is preferred to that shown in Fig. 1;and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit connections.

he regulator herein illustrated includes a base 10 of a suitableinsulating material, which base may be applied to a suitable partof-theautomobile or other vehicle, as-

' suming that it is used in connection with an engine driven vehicle. Atthe top of the base is attached the usual reverse current cut-outconsisting of current and voltage coils which are superposed anddesignated in Fig. 1 by the ,reference character 11 and which are showndiagrammatically in Fig. 5, wherein the current coil is designated 11"and the volta e coil 11". The coils surround a core carrie by a frame 12having a pivoted armature 13 provided with a contact which cooperateswith a stationar contact. As this cut-out embodies the usua parts orfeatures, and as it functions in the usual way, it need not be furtherdescribed.

he regulator, in so far as the voltage regulation is concerned, may havea single voltage coil which will respond to slight changes in voltage toeffect the voltage regulation but preferably it is provided with twovoltage coilsarranged and functionin substantially as illustrated anddescribe in my prior Patents No. 1,540,698, granted June 2, 1925, andNo. 1,633,671, granted June 28, 1927. These two coils are superposed ona core attached to a frame 14 secured to the base 10 and are designatedgenerally by the reference character 15 in Figs. land 2, but in thediagrammatic View of Fig. 5 they are designated respectively 15 and 15The frame 14 carries a vibrating armature 16 having a contact 17 whichis adapted to engage a stationary contact 18, the armature being biasedtoward closed position by an adjustable coil spring 19. It will beobserved that the armature 16 which is pivoted to the frame 14 by meansof a pintle 20is provided with an enlarged extension 21 projectinoutwardly beyond the magnet frame 14, t is extension as well as thearmature proper, the frame 14, and the core which is surrounded by thecoils 15 and 15 being formed of magnetic material;

My improved regulator includes also a series coil 22 which in theconstruction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and. 3 is supported b a frame 23attached to the base 10. his frame, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2and 3, includes a core 24 which the series 0011 surrounds, which core issecured to outstanding legs of the frame 23 and may be adjusted inanendwise direction or axially 0f the coil 22. This core has at one enda lateral extension 24 which lies alongside or overlaps the enlargement21 of the armature 16. The core .24 is formed of magnetic material butcore of the series ma et overla s the eittension 21 ofthe arms ure 16but t see overlapping members do not at any time actually engage eachother. The ga between these parts may be adjusted by ifting the core 4axially of the coil by first loosening the screws 25 by which the coreis supported on the legs of the non-magnetic frame 28, these screwspassing through elongated slots in the core.

It will be observed that magnetic flux threading between the extension24" of the core 24 and the extension 21 of the armature 16 will exert apull on the armature against the pull of spring 19, and accordingly,this magnetic pul has the eect of decreasing the strength of spring 19andthus tends to separate the contacts of the vibrator. The arrangementand construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 are such that because ofthe lack of aclosed magnetic path for coil 22, the seriescoil does notassist the volta coil or coils to reduce the magnetic field o p thenerator until the load reaches substanti y a predetermined value, and ator about the time this load value is reached the series coil does becomeefl'ective by its action on the armature 16'of the vibrator to controlthe voltage and therefore the current output.

A quite similar but slightly more efiective arrangement is illustrat inFig. 4 to which reference will now be had before describing thecircuits. In Fig. 4 the vibrator and the reverse current cut-out are thesame as in Figs. 1 and 2, and these parts need not be again described,the same reference characters which are applied to Figs. 1 and 2 servingfor the corresponding parts ofFi 4. The re lator illustrated in Fig. 4di ers simply in the arrangement of the series magnet and the way itcooperates with the v1- brator to afiect the voltage and, therefore,current output of the generator. In this instance the series coil 22surrounds a core 26 supported by a frame 27' of magnetic material. Thisseries magnet has a pivoted armature 28 to which is connected it s ring29 which holds the armature away rom the core against a sto which thecore normally engagesis armature has an extension 31 which overlaps theextension 21 of the vibrator armature 16 and is adapted to engage theface of the extension 21 on the side toward the spring 19. Thearrangement with this construction is such that the armature 28 isineflective in so far as havin any regulating function is concerneduntfi the load exceeds a predetermined value, at which time the armature28 is attracted away from its seat 80 toward the core 26, and when thisoccurs the extension 81 of the armature 28 will exert a pressure on theextension 21 of the vibrator armature, which ressure varice with theload in excess of t e predetermined value and is against the pull ofspring 19. p e a It will as observed; therefore, that with theconstruction shown in Fig. 1 the magnfitic pull exgertedtha bythtedseriesdcoil wealrepl: t es '1. e'xten epen' u 'nt" load f a iisiibstantially the l ifee rhimd load value is reached whereas with theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 4 the armature of the aariaama actsmechanically on the vibrator armature the vibrator sprin 19, and hereagain the pressure exerted y armature of the series ma is proportionalto the load after the reaches a pfedetermined value. In both instancesthe series coilwhen the mined load value has been reache thus w: tthevoltage coil or. coils in their tendency to separate the vibratorcontacts.

The circuit connections of the devices In Fig. 5 the regulator is shownconnected to a generator 82 having 'tive and ne tive brushes 88 and 84.In t is instance a nut generator is shown, havin a field winding 85. Theload is illustra sistin of lamps 88 and a It wi 33 of the enerator isconnected to a terminal 88 which in turn is connected by a conductor 89to one terminal at the series coil 22 of the regulator, the otherterminal of this coil being connected bya conductor 40 to a terminal 41leading to oneside of the load. The other load terminal 42 is connectedb a conductor 48 to the stationary contact 8 of the reverse currentcut-on the armature 18 of the-cut-out being electri= cally connected tothe cut-out frame 12, to which is connected one end of the series coil11' of the cut-out, the other end being conbattery 87.

nected by a conductor44 .to a terminal 45, p

which in turn is connected to the negative brush 84 of the generator.The field winding 35 is shown as having one end connected to thenegative brush 84 and its other end connected to a terminal 48 to whichis con-' nected a conductor 47 in turn connected to a field resistance48 which is connected by a conductor 49 to the conductor 40 leadingtoredeter acts on the vibrator armature in a direction such asto tend toseparate the vibrator contacts,"

to be somewhat preferable to that be observed that the positive brushustrated the r the positive brush 33 of the generator. At this point itmight-bestated that when the vibrator contacts are 0 en the resistance48 is in series with the eld windin 35 but when the contacts are closedthe resistance is short circuited.

The voltage coil 11 of the cut-out has one terminal connected toconductor 49 and its other terminal connected to conductor 7 44, andtherefore this is connected directly across the terminals or brushes ofthe generator.

The vibrator is preferably provided with two voltage coils as previouslyexplained, these being designated 15 and 15". The coil 15 may be termedthe primary coil, this coil corresponding to the coil 21 of m Patent N0. 1,540,698, or to coil 18 of my atent N 0. 1,633,671, this coil havingits circuit unaffected by the contacts of the vibrator. One end of thiscoil 15 is connected to the vibrator frame 14 which is connected by aconductor 50 to conductor 39 leading to the positive brush of thegenerator. The other end of this coil is connected by a conductor 51 toa resistance 52, which is preferably though not necessarily employed,this re sistance being connected by a conductor 53 to the cut-out frame12 and therefore to conductor v44 leading to the negative terminal orbrush of the generator.

One end of the vibrator e'oil 15 is connected by a conductor 54 to aconductor 55 which is connected to conductor 47 leading to one end ofthe field winding 35 and is also connected by a conductor 56 leading tothe stationary contact 18. These contacts may be and preferably arebridged by a condenser 57. The other end of the vibrator coil 15 isconnected by a conductor 58 to the conductor 53 and to the resistance52. This coil l5 corresponds to the coil 22 of my Patent No. 1,540,698,and to coil 19 of my Patent No. 1,633,671. When the contacts are closedthis coil 15 is connected across the brushes of the generator inparallel with the field Winding, and when the contacts are open it is inseries with the field winding 35. To trace the circuits under bothconditions, it might be stated that when the contacts are closed thecircuit of' the coil 15 is as follows: From the positive brush 33,conductor 39, field frame 14, vibrator contacts, conductors 56 and 54 tothe oneend of coil 15*, and from the other end of this coil by way ofconductor 58 to conductor 53 to field frame 12 of the cut-out to seriescoil '11' of the cut-out to conductor 44 and hence to the negative brushof the generator.

When the contacts are open, the circuit may readily be traced asfollows: From the positive brush of the generator by conductors 39 and50 to vibrator coil 15', through this coil and by conductor; 51 toresistance 52 and from this resistance by way of conductor 58 throughcoil 15 and by conductors 54, 55 and 47 to one end of field winding 35and through the field winding to the negative brush 34.

In other words, the connections are as in my patents above referred to.Therefore, as in my prior patents the coil 15 causes the armature tovibrate by the rapidly interrupted or varying current passing throughcoil 15 but its rate of vibration is determined principally by thecurrent passing through the coil 15 and therefore by the voltage of thegenerator impressed on this coil. That is to say, the voltage impressedupon the coil 15 determines the rate of vibration of the vibratorarmature until the load exceeds the predetermined value at which timethe series coil becomes effective to increase the rate of vibrations byweakening the spring connected to the vibrator armature and thusprotecting the generator from overload and giving a currentcharacteristic such as is desired for the best working conditions.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a dynamo electric machine having a fieldwinding, of a regulator "for varying the ampere turns of the fieldwinding, said regulator having a vibratory armature, one or more voltagecoils responsive to changes of voltage for vibrating the same, and aseries coil for affecting the rate of vibration when the load reaches apredetermined value, the voltage coil or coils and the series coilhaving separate magnetic paths.

2. The combination with a dynamo electric machine having a fieldwinding, of a regulator for varying the ampere turns of the fieldwinding, said regulator comprising a vibratory armature, one or morevoltage coils for vibrating the same, and a series coil for exerting aforceon the armature when the load reaches a predetermined value, theseries coil being mounted on a core separate from that on which thevoltage coil or coils are mounted.

3. The combination with a dynamo electric machine having a fieldwinding, of a regulator for varying the ampere turns of the fieldwinding, said regulator having one or more voltage coils, a vibratoryarmature responsive to changes of voltage, a spring opposing themovement of the armature, and a series coil having an armature forexerting a force on the vibratory armature in opposition to the springwhen the load reaches a predetermined value.

4. The combination with a dynamo electric machine having a fieldwinding, of a regulator for regulatin the ampere turns of the fieldwinding, sai regulator having a vibrating armature, one or more voltagecoils for vibrating the same, a spring for opposing the movement of thevibrator under the influence of said coilor coils, a series coilresponsive when substantially a predetermined load is reached forexerting a force on the armature opposite to that exerted by a the sprinand means whereb the series coil is ine ective below said loa 5.Thazhcombinationwith a dynamo electric m ine having a field winding, ofa ator for the ampere turns of m the field winding, sai regulatorcomprising a shunt magnet aving a vibratory armature and one or morevoltage coils for vibrating the same and responsive to changes involtage, and a series magnet which when sub- [5 stantially apredetermined load is reached exerts a force on the vibrato armature toassist the voltage coil or 00' said series magnet having a series coiland a core separate from the shunt magnet. 20 6. In combination with adynamo electric machine having a field winding, of a ator for varyin theampere turns of the field winding, sai regulator comp a vibratoryarmature biased toward a position by a spring one or more voltage coilsresponsive to c anges of voltage for vibrating the armature, and aseries magnet having an armature adapted when the armature is attractedat substantially a predeterw mined load to exert a force on thevibratory armature in opposition to the spring.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afix my signature.

BENNETT M. LEECE.

